Thursday 6 August 2009 vs Sub Prime

Match Report.

Well this match had a bit of everything including a potential dust up and a remarkable bit of mathematics on the score sheet.

Not sure if we won the toss or not but we were having bat. So and the flu infested Dowell (got out of bed for the team) opened and faced some steady bowling. After two overs they were going steadily but in the third over power play Dowell went for one and was bowled. So followed suit and after another run out in the fourth 21 was posted. Then Hill and Vlastuin are in and the runs compile slowly with Sub Prime able to keep the bowling tight. 23 is posted and we are building. Final pair is Rock and Black and Rock swinging freely picks out a couple of fieldsmen for run outs and some threes and fours while Black deftly picks off the constant leg side inswingers for two. Another 21 and 65 is on the board not enough it is felt but you never know in this game.

Dowell opens the bowling and picking up a wicket keeps it tight and they have only 4 on the board. With Vlastuin, Hill and So following they did manage to get a couple of lucky shots away and compile 27. New pair and Black is thrown the ball. Despite one 7 getting away 4 wickets are taken including the usual clean work by Rock and a spectacular one handed catch off the top net by Black himself and Sub Prime are under pressure. The approach from Sub Prime was to keep swinging and Dowell and Hill at the back were given a work out. The second pair managed to post 29 with a strange final ball incident off Hill. The batsemen decided to wander down the pitch leisurely while Hill was running in. Hill decideds to not deliver the ball stops and sends him back to the crease. Matt the mouth for Sub Prime at the non strikers end has a go at Hill, Hill responds. Delivering the last ball the batsmen employs the same tactics of wandering well down the pitch - Hill bowls stright over his head - a little too high otherwise Rock would have effected the stumping. Calls for no ball and the like was asked for but the umpire said the ball was good. And then there was a little verbal with the usually quiet Dowell jumping into the fray and arguing with the whole team through the net. Calls from Hill and Black got Dowell back on the game.

So with 10 to defend can Black weave some magic? and he did! First ball eyes light up whack and Hill positions himself perfectly and takes the catch. Three more wickets follow and Black has taken 8 for -8 in his two overs and we are in with chance. So followed and more wickets came including a third ball run out. Rock to bowl the 11th and a full toss gets despatched and they only need 3 off the last over. Dowell has the last over and following discussions with Hill, Dowell suggests keeping three up the front as they are probably going to creep their way to the total. First ball to the better batsman and he carefully gets two. Next a full length ball and a healthy edge is caught by the forward placed So. 4 to get and with the better batsman on strike Dowell manages a dot ball with a near stumping as he falls foward playing carefully. Unfortunately Dowell then bowls a straight full toss and it is despatched to the back - 7 and they keep the last two out to win by three. Without that opportune delivery the pressure could have mounted.

Evaluating the score sheet the umpire got himself totally confused as he added negative numbers as positives including awarding the final pair a total of 27 when they only made 13. This also included one of the last pair making 30 which should have been 17 and being awarded MVP. Black with 16 runs and spectacular bowling figures was clearly the MVP. Interesting game.

Thursday 14 May 2009 vs Royals

10 pm games are not always the best - I was asleep in the comfy chair after a couple of obligatory wines and had to be woken to get to the game. Hill deputising as captain lost the toss and the Royals decided to have a bat. Dowells thrown the ball and beats the bat first ball and Rock siezes the opportunity to effect the stumping - brilliant keeping and were off to a flyer. Following some powerful hitting they manage to get 13 off the over. Vlastuin Jnr followed then Hill and Vlastuin Snr. Dowell dropped two catches at the back off Vlastuin Snr as the Royals cranked up the power hitting. 59! after 4 overs and things were not looking good.

Shaking our heads and banishing Dowell to the front and out of harms way we set about putting the breaks on. Donaldson first and had this second pair second guessing. Rock was having one of those nights behind the stumps with 4 maybe 5 stumpings - brilliant - even rubbing off to Donaldson keeping for Rock as effected another. Anyway the second pair were kept to 22 or so and on to the final pair.

This pair seemed to be content to play straight cricket shots and milk the runs - swung out a bit in the power play 3rd over and got themselves a bit caught in the final over - again Rock taking his opportunities. The total a daunting 113!

Donaldson and Dowell in first with the aim of building steadily but the new rules come in to play - a free hit off a front foot no ball allowed Dowell to have a go at one early - 4th ball seven and we were on our way. With Donaldson playing good cricket shots and Dowell taking his chances a tidy 45 was amassed after 4 overs. We've got chance.

Enter the Rock boys Snr and Jnr pinch hitting for Vlastuin Jnr and these boys had some fun. Snr was seeing the ball well - just following on from his form behind the stumps and belted what was reasonable bowling everywhere with Jnr backing his eye and scampering between wickets. 50! and Hill and Vlastuin Snr have only 19 to get.

The decision was to just get to the total no risk and 113 was reached after 11 overs. Just to make the final over a little interesting Vlastuin was caught off the first ball - but they steadied the ship got to 115 and Vlastuin kept the last one out. A great victory with everyone making a contribution also considering the bowling of the Royals wasn't that bad except they did bowl 13 extras with three free hits. Rock very unlucky to not be MVP as apart from his flawless 27 with the bat his keeping kept us in with the chance - if you call chasing 113 a chance. The beers were beautiful after that one.

From you faithful correspondent M. Dowell

Grand Final 5 March 2009 vs Doo Don't Bowl

The Match Summary - In long hand.

This was Grand Final night and there was a quiet confidence about the Cutters prior to the match as we watched the exciting last overs of the Div 1 Grand Final.

The toss was lost and the Doos’ put us in. Dowell and So were sent in for the first two overs accumulated runs at the minimal rate of 1 per ball. By half way through the third over they were 22 and looked set to accumulate a tidy 30. But a couple of run outs and a second last ball wicket saw them finish at 18 – not quite the start we were after.

Enter Hill and Perry and from the first ball these boys got in to stride. Playing sensibly and confidently with good well placed cricket shots they soon had 26 or so off two overs. With no outs the captain and his deputy had righted the ship with a classy 38.

Enter the finishers Rock and Vlastuin – Rock striking the ball well was caught with some flukey flick of the wrist run outs. Vlastuin did his usual grafting of runs and scampering between wickets but with the runs ebbing and flowing in the high 60’s Vlastuin struck a second last ball seven, just missing the jug signand a perfectly struck off drive, to push the score to the final 80.

It was a score that was defendable now to keep the Doo’s big hitters quiet. Dowell was given the opening over and bowling to one of the best batsmen Andy was pleased to see a defensive push off his legs for a possible one, but So pounced cat like on the ball and in a clean pick up and throw hit the stumps – first ball wicket and -6 – the dream start. Hill followed keeping the runs down followed by So – and while the runs were accumulating the fives and sevens that plagued us in the semi final were kept at bay. Perry bowling the fourth over managed several dot balls to keep the dangerous Andy off strike for all of the last over. 27 for the first pair and a reasonable start.

Their second pair though were not noted for big hitting or their speed between wickets and they were under pressure to give the final pair something to aim at. Vlastuin and So bowled next and run outs were made and catches were hit and taken and the tension was building. Rock was given the 7^th over and it was telling. Three wickets and some great fielding by So and Vlastuin and at the end of the over Rock 3 for -7.

Perry bowled the 8^th over and was tidy and the second pair had only added 5 – the total only 32 – 49 for the last pair to get – with some tight bowling we should win – but its not over until its over.

The captain decided Dowell first and Hill last with Vlastuin and Rock in between.

Again avoiding the double bonus ball Dowell kept that to 2 and with some further deliveries nothing was getting away. But in a lapse of concentration Dowell banged one in too short and wide and full toll was taken 7 runs and the confidence boost for the Doo’s that maybe they could do it. Fortunately through some great keeping by Rock a wicket followed the next ball to negate the 7 a little but 11 had been taken off that over. Valstuin was next and some lusty hitting and some uncharacteristic misses in the field saw another 15 accumulated. 23 to get and Rock is bowling. Another tight over from the bearded lad left Hill to defend 13 for the tie which would have been won on skins to the Doo’s.

Second ball and a classic toe crushing Yorker from Hill dug out just by the batsman left the ball just in front of the stumps. Rock pouncing on it ignored the stumps at his end and threw to bowlers stumps – out! – a brilliant effort and crucial bit of cool thinking by the veteran keeper. Next ball another lusty hit, but hitting the side net and back net Perry calmly put himself in position, catch taken and it was beyond reach. Bowling an uncharacteristic leg side no ball was a reminder to finish it off but following a last ball seven the y feel 5 runs short and a great victory to The Cutters.

A great team effort – man of the match So for three or four run outs great catching and some telling stops together with 15 with the bat and some canny bowling was well deserved; the captain Perry for a solid 20 with the bat, frugal bowling and his typical coverage of the back net; Hill also excellent with the bat, and great bowling as always in the pressure cooker of the final over; Rock, unlucky with the bat but a telling two overs and as always the Cutters secret weapon behind the stumps; Vlastuin for his scampering runs, the timely 7 and some great fielding and then Dowell – well he made three but made up for it with a lot of cheering and beer drinking.

Fantastic game lads – roll on to the next one I say!